MLive file photoHoward Rodabaugh was treated at Hurley Medical Center in 2004 for necrotizing fasciitis - a flesh-eating bacterial infection. Rodabaugh, 61 of Burton, contracted the infection when he scraped his leg while handling luggage in December 2003.

BURTON, MI – A local man can relate to the pain related to
the flesh-eating bacterial infection. Recently the bacteria – necrotizing fasciitis
-- has been in the news due to a
University of West Georgia graduate student, 24-year-old Aimee Copeland, who
has lost both of her hands and feet to the bacteria.

Howard Rodabaugh, 61, of Burton, contracted the infection when
he scraped his leg while handling luggage in December 2003.

Rodabaugh spent 6 weeks in the burn unit at Hurley Medical
Center and was then transferred to a regular room. He said he spent a total of three months in the hospital. He said the bacteria was eating about an inch of
tissue an hour.

The small scrape Rodabaugh received allowed the bacteria to
swiftly devour body tissue from the inside out. He said it started with the
small scrape that he didn't think much about, but in less than a week he had a
cyst the size of a grapefruit.

"It was pretty severe. They were changing my dressings every
two or three hours and I had a suction vacuum that sucked the infection out of
me." Rodabaugh said. "It ate a lot of organs and tissues, I don't have any
muscle in my upper left leg. They had to take the muscle, nerves, and tissue
from my left leg because that is where the disease started at. It also took
half of my left testicle."

Surgeries were done to remove dead, blackened tissue from his
stomach resulted in a huge scar across his abdomen.

"I have a scar across my stomach," Rodabaugh said. "I have
trouble walking and there are a lot of things I used to do that I can't do
anymore."

Although Rodabaugh was released from the hospital in March
of 2004, he still has recurring problems from the bacteria. He said he still gets
cysts on his stomach and lower extremities.

Although the bacteria has a frightening name, the rare
infection is not contagious. The disfiguring harm affects only those who
contract it through a skin lesion. The bacteria does cause tissue to die, but
what makes it life threatening is the infection's overwhelming impact on blood
and organs.

Rodabaugh had a long road to recovery, but survived the
flesh-eating infection that could have killed him.

"I have trouble walking, but I am getting around." He said.

Amanda covers Swartz Creek and Clayton Township and can
be reached at 810-875-2208 or temery@mlive.com. You can also follow her on
Twitter @AmandaEmeryFJ
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